Silver Bells and Sour Grapes
by Aussielover
Summary: A new Pete and Jenny story revolves around the holiday time. As their relationship gets serious, someone may intervene.
1. Chapter 1

***I don't claim to own the Adam-12 characters used in this story. I only write for the the enjoyment of it. Thanks to the creators of the show and allowing us to play in this world a bit.

Silver Bells and Sour Grapes

Pete opens his eyes and sees the sexy outline of his girlfriend, Jenny, just under the covers in front of him. He takes in her sweet fragrance from her hair then can't resist running his fingers through it and then along her bare skin of her exposed shoulder. With the gentle stroke she stirs and rolls from her side to her back. She turns to look at Pete with her sleepy eyes. Pete leans over to give her a soft kiss on her cheek. "Good Morning, Beautiful."

She licks her lips and says, "Morning to you, too."

He continues to gaze at her as he leans on his right elbow. Jenny rolls over onto her side to face Pete in the bed. "What has you so bright and bushy tailed this morning?" She covers her mouth when a yawn slips out.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the company that I'm keeping." Pete says with a grin.

After a wink she says, "I know just what you mean."

Pete chimes in, "So what is the plan for today?"

Jenny responds, "Well, I have to take care of the stable sometime today."

"Do you want some help? I don't have to be at work until three this afternoon."

"I can take care of it."

"Really, I would love to help out."

"I can't pass up on an invitation like that."

The sound of jingling tags dance around the bed. A moment later, a fuzzy white muzzle pops up along the foot of the bed. Then without warning a forty-pound Australian Shepherd cross jumps up and crawls between Pete and Jenny. The dog makes her way up toward the pillows hoping to get in a morning kiss of her own. Her docked tail is going a mile a minute. "Hey, Girl." Pete pets her, but is hoping to have a few more minutes alone with Jenny first.

"Sadie, off the bed. You know there's not room for three of us in here." As the dog slinks down, Jenny starts to sit up when Pete touches her arm.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She pauses and looks back at him. He is motioning to her to come back with his finger. She looks him over and his glistening green eyes cause her heart to skip a beat. "Is someone feeling a bit frisky this morning?"

"You could say that. Come here, Gorgeous."

She lies back down and runs her hand across his chest then places a peck on his lips. "Pete Malloy, you look like trouble to me."

He quickly scoops her into his arms and lays a passionate kiss on her. She responds instantly to him. She melts into his strong arms. Their nude bodies intertwine under the covers. Every part of him feels good to her as she does to him. The tick of the clock gets lost to the two lovers. They caress each other's bodies and their hearts race faster with each passing moment. Their body heat turns up and their breaths quicken as they near the lovemaking pinnacle. Pleasure filled groans follow shortly as their bodies go from taut to relaxed as an inner warmth saturates both of them. Jenny collapses on Pete's chest with her one arm draping over him. Pete lies there quietly with his hand stroking her back and her hair. After a soft kiss to her forehead he lies back and says, "This is the way to start every day."

After the passion he drifts asleep again. Jenny gets up and disappears into the bathroom. She reappears in gray sweatpants and a forest green sweatshirt with a park decal in the center. She quickly pulls her hair back into a ponytail. Pete wakes as she jostles the bed while putting on her running shoes. He sits up in the bed and asks, "Where are you going?"

I thought I'd get in a jog this morning. "Do you want to join me?"

"It's tempting, but I think I'll pass." A yawn escapes him before saying, "I'll get some coffee started while you're gone."

"Sounds good to me. Come on, Sadie, let's go." The Aussie runs to the door with great anticipation. Jenny grabs her worn leather leash and out the two go. Hooking up her leash Jenny can see her breath in the cold air. Even with the sun shining the early temperatures may only be in the low fifties in the mountains. Fortunately, there is no breeze to make it feel any colder. After a few stretches the two take off jogging down the nearby dirt trail, which leads to miles of paths throughout the forest. Sadie's tags jingle and Jenny makes a rhythmic breathing sound as they pace down the relatively even path. Forty minutes later and slowing to a walk, Jenny and Sadie arrive back at her cabin noticing the gray line of smoke rising from the chimney. The two step up on the porch then go inside. The smell of fresh brewed coffee is throughout the small cabin as well as the crackling sounds from the new logs burning in the wood stove. Pete sits at the table all showered and dress to go. He is sporting jeans and a flannel blue and green shirt. Following a sip of coffee, he sits down a National Geographic magazine and offers Jenny a cup. "Can I pour you a cup of coffee?"

"I'm going to jump in the shower first, but I'll join you in a few minutes. Can you feed Sadie for me?"

"Sure thing." He picks up her bowl and fills it with dry kibble while Jenny hustles into the bathroom. A few minutes later Jenny enters the kitchen to find Pete busy cooking up a couple eggs and toasting some raisin bread. "Have a seat, Gorgeous. I'll have some breakfast for you in just a minute." He pours her a cup of coffee to start with.

Jenny grins and says, "I kind of like getting spoiled like this," as she sits down at the table. She sips her hot coffee as Pete sets down a plate of scrambled eggs and buttered raisin toast for each of them.

"How was your run?"

"It felt good, and I didn't even run across anyone to rescue."

"That's good. I don't want you becoming anyone else's heroine. I like you all to myself."

The topic of conversation turns to the holidays. "So what do you normally do for Christmas, Pete?"

"I usually spend part of the holiday with the Reeds. I rarely make it up to Seattle to see my folks. Since I'm a bachelor, I often put in for double shifts at work. I would rather guys like Jim with a wife and kids have a chance to be home."

"How about you?"

"After my mom died, I have spent some time with some cousins I have in Anaheim or with my grandparents in the Midwest."

"Maybe, we can create some new holiday traditions this year together." Pete reaches out and rubs along Jenny's hand.

"That sounds intriguing to me. I would like to hear your ideas about that."

"When I was a kid my family had a tradition of cutting down a real Christmas tree over the Thanksgiving weekend. After finding the perfect tree we would get it up, put on the lights, and have it decorated before the end of the day. My dad was a perfectionist about hanging the lights just right. My mom would bake sugar cookies while we listened to our favorite holiday tunes like White Christmas."

"Did Seattle ever have snow at Christmas?"

"Normally, no, but there were a few times."

"That sounds like a nice family tradition to me."

"Jenny, would you like to cut down a Christmas tree and decorate it with me?"

"That would be wonderful," she says with a big grin.

Jenny could see Pete brewing up holiday thoughts. "We should get going to the barn."

Pete snaps out of his reverie then downs the remainder of his coffee and carries their dishes over to the sink.

"Thank you for making breakfast."

"It was my pleasure, Beautiful." He moseys over by the couch and front window then says, "This might be a good spot for a tree."

"Come on, Pete. We need to get going."

Both Jenny and Pete grab jackets and walk out to the cars. "Let's go Sadie." Jenny opens the Jeep door and Sadie hops across to the passenger seat looking excited to go. As Jenny climbs into the driver's seat she says, "No, Girl, in the back you go. This is Pete's seat." The dog then hops in back with her nose right between the two front seats. Pete grins as he watches the furry partner move.

"I don't think Sadie likes sharing you with me."

"I don't know if that's true. She loves you. She just likes the view better up front."

As Pete looks over at Jenny, he ponders to himself. _I agree with that statement._

They drive the short ten-minute journey to the stable. As they pull up to the rustic big red barn from the gravel circle drive, they see the colorful herd of horses milling about in the paddock. Pete recognizes both Trooper and Duke on the parameter of the group by the fence.

"So how much longer are you going to be helping with the stable?"

"I'm not really sure. We have divided up the responsibilities between four of us so it's not too demanding. I live the closest to the barn so it's pretty easy for me to do my part. Besides I find it really relaxing to work with the horses. It's not a high pressure job as you can see." They all hop out of the Jeep. Jenny walks to the fencing, and Trooper hangs his head over. His long whiskers move as the horse lets out a snort. His lips smack together as he nudges his nose against Jenny's belt. "Ok, Troop, here is a sugar cube." She pulls out a couple small white granulated lumps of sugar from her pocket and feeds it to him. She rubs the forelock of her large hairy four footed friend while he savors the treat.

"Does this area ever have hazardous weather?"

"Some excessive rainfall or on a rare occasion snow can make for lousy roads, but that's why it's good to own a Jeep with four wheel drive."

Pete realizes that he found himself a very capable woman. He loves that about her, but also can't help but be a bit protective of her, too. Jenny heads into the tack room where large bins hold the daily grain for the horses. She starts to scoop grain into buckets for the five horses then mixes in a vitamin supplement too. "What can I do to help?" Pete asks.

"Can you hang a feed bucket in each stall? I'll start bringing in each horse."

Pete readily picks up a filled bucket. "No problem."

"After they eat their grain, I just need to brush over their coats and check their feet. If they dirty their stalls, we'll need to muck them out after we put them back out."

Jenny leads in each horse and puts each in a stall. It's not long before they are all done eating and she halters them up again and leads them one by one to the center isle crossties. She brushes them down and picks out their hooves. Pete tries to help by brushing too. After each horse is done she leads them back out to the paddock. When she finally gets to Trooper she leaves him tied as she finds a pad and saddle in the tack room. "So who am I going to ride?" Pete eagerly asks.

"I thought it might be fun to ride double. Trooper can be a handful at times, but I really want you to see what he's like." Pete's one eyebrow goes up as the idea settles in.

"Ok, I'm game."

Jenny slides the bit into Trooper's mouth and pulls the headstall over his ears. With the finally buckle done she leads him out front to the hitching post. She puts the reins up and over his neck then holds just below the bit. She says, "Go ahead and climb on." Pete mounts the big bay using the horn and saddle back. After adjusting the stirrups for Pete, Jenny says, "Pull out your left foot and slide your leg forward a bit."

Pete does what he's told and Jenny uses the stirrup to swing up and get seated behind him. She reaches around Pete's waist with both arms and squeezes tight. Her chin rests just softly on Pete's left shoulder. "Let's go, Cowboy."

Pete takes the reins and turns Trooper around toward the closest path. "Where do you want to go?"

"Where ever you want." A big smile spreads across her face.

With a quick snort and a bob of his head Trooper prances down the nearest trail. His long almost black ears are pricked high and alert to the sounds of the woods. A chorus of birds chirping is music to everyone. The horse loves getting out just as much as the two passengers. The time flies by as they travel the trails. Sadie is a companion to Trooper with the dog giving any warning of people or other animals approaching. Sadie stays near, but is not underfoot. They enjoy a mix of walking, short jogs, and even a nice lope. The air is still and a bit cool making it the perfect temp for a late morning ride. Not wanting to overwork Trooper with two riders after two hours, Jenny says, "We should be getting back."

As they walked back to the stable, the noontime sun beams down causing a beautiful array of colors through the shimmering leaves. Taking in a deep breath Jenny says, "How can anyone not love it here?"

"It is peaceful and gorgeous. Thanks for bringing me along." Pete twists around just enough to lay a soft kiss on Jenny's lips.

The two carefully dismount and lead Trooper back into the barn. They untack him and give him a good rub down. The barn is a second home for Sadie and she romps around freely while Jenny does chores. After putting Trooper back out with the other horses, Pete asks, "What else needs to be done?"

"I need to muck out a couple stalls then throw down some hay."

"Pete, do you want to climb up in the loft and throw down some hay for me?"

"Sure thing. How do I get up there?"

Jenny shows Pete the wooden ladder mounted on the wall beside the tack room door toward the front of the barn. Pete looks up the ladder to see dust-filled cobwebs laced across the dark opening. A two-foot square hole in the loft floor is about ten feet up. Jenny goes to muck out a stall as Pete climbs up the ladder. With one swipe of his hand he knocks down the majority of sticky webs. His head pops above the loft floor and he tries to look around. The darkness is only broken up by a couple small glimmers of light. Large stacks of baled timothy hay block his view of the area. After he pulls himself up, he goes to investigate the loft a bit more. Two very small, but high windows in the front and back of the barn shed a little light. He finds six openings in the floor above each stall where hay can be dropped into each.

_I better watch my step. _Over two-thirds of the loft is filled with stacked bales of hay. One area of the loft has a rather large pile of loose hay. "How much hay do you want, Jenny?"

"Can you throw down four bales for me?"

Pete slides over a bale from the one smaller stack. "Stay clear!" He tosses the first one down through the opening by the ladder. He grabs a hold of another one and does the same as the first. In the meantime, Jenny pulls aside the first bale. She loads it in the wheelbarrow and cuts away the twine. She takes the wheelbarrow out into the paddock and divides up the hay into individual feeding piles. She returns to gather up another bale to do the same with it. After finishing that she puts aside the other two bales for the next time. Jenny suddenly feels like she is being watched. She looks around, but doesn't see anything out of place. She spots Sadie lying under the front of the Jeep in the shade sleeping. Trying to dismiss the strange feeling she heads back over to the ladder.

"Hey, what are you doing up there, Pete?" She doesn't hear a thing so she climbs up the ladder to see for herself. She gets to the top and peers around, but can't really see anything. As she stands up she calls out, "Pete!" Jenny has a bad feeling that something is wrong. She makes her way toward the back of the loft through two larger stacks of hay. As she steps forward the old boards below her feet creak loudly. Jenny moves toward the center where the windows bring in some dim light. A hand on her shoulder causes her to jump and turn toward the person.

"Hello, Beautiful," Pete says.

Jenny lets out a gasp then loses her balance and starts to fall backwards. Pete reaches out to grab her and only manages to get pulled on top on her as they both land in the large pile of hay. "Are you ok, Babe?" He asks as he rolls to the side.

She quickly tosses a handful of hay in his face. "You scared me."

Pete sees some pieces of hay in her hair and reaches over to pull them out. He can't help but have a big smile on his face.

"What are you grinning about?" She says.

"You're so cute all covered in hay."

She begins to brush away the dust and hay off his shirt as he moves in closer to her. He runs his hand through her hair trying to remove some hay to start with then seems instantly memorized by the glow to her face and her deep blue eyes. A moment later he pulls her in for a tender kiss that turns passionate. They lean back into the soft hay. His hand moves to the buttons on her shirt as he kisses and bites at her ear lobe then whispering, "I love you." Her breaths quicken as he touches her. She can't hold back anymore and pulls his shirt out from his pants. In a second his shirt is open and his chest presses against hers. She kisses and softly bites on his lower lip. Then she moves to his neck for another taste. More clothes loosen. His body presses on her and she feels his excitement. The next few minutes they express their love for each other in this unexpected place.

Afterwards, he helps to redress her as she does for him. As the last button is redone she looks into his eyes and says, "I love you, Pete."

The emotion filled moment is broken when Sadie starts barking. Pete and Jenny look at each other and laugh. "I told you she doesn't like sharing you."

"She just is wondering where we are." Then it dawned on Jenny that someone else might be here. "Oh, my, I hope no one is here." She heads back to the ladder and looks down to see Sadie barking just below the ladder. "I'm here, Girl." Jenny starts down the ladder then is followed by Pete. The dog jumps up and greets them both. With a quick glance at his watch, Pete realizes it's getting late and he needs to head back to the cabin to clean up before leaving for work.

"Do you mind if we get going?"

"No problem. While you clean up, I'll make you some lunch. I don't want to you to be late for your shift on my account."

Sadie starts to bark again by the ladder. "Come on, Girl. Time to go." Jenny slaps at her leg to call the dog. She opens up the door to the Jeep and Sadie finally decides to come. She starts the car then pulls out of the drive heading back to her place. Through a small crack in the barn loft an eye peers out. A moment later someone begins to climb down the ladder.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Pete walks into the locker room with a little bounce in his step. He opens up his locker and starts to change into his uniform. A short time later Jim arrives. "Hi, Pete. How has your day been so far?"

"Just great. How about you?"

"Oh, it's been fine. Nothing too exciting I guess. Jean had me putting up Christmas lights on the house today."

Pausing from buttoning his uniform shirt Pete asks, "Isn't it a bit early for that?"

"No, Jean wants to enjoy them for the whole month of December she tells me, but I think she just wants to keep up with the neighbors." As Jim steps up to his locker and opens it, he notices what appears to be some straw or something like it at the bottom of Pete's locker next to him. "What's with the straw, Partner?"

"Uh, it's hay actually. I was helping Jenny with her chores at the barn, and I guess I got some in my jacket."

With a coy tone, "What kind of chores were they, Pete?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Pete decides that maybe less information the better on this subject. Pete tucks in his shirt then puts on his gun belt and badge. He swings his locker closed and starts for the door.

With Jim tying his shoes still, he requests, "Save me a seat at roll call."

"Sure thing." As Pete heads down the hall he runs into Ed Wells at the bulletin board reading something.

"Hey, Pete, take a look at this. Someone is selling tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet. Isn't that right up your alley?" He says with a smirk.

"No, thanks, Ed. But maybe you should go. You could use a little class. By some chance it might even expand your horizons, too." Pete gives a tap on Ed's shoulder and walks on.

Pete walks into the roll call room and takes a seat. A moment later Jim arrives taking the open seat next to him. The duty room is full so Mac stands up to talk. "One quick announcement, don't forget the department toy drive is starting for the Children's Home. Bring in new toys and drop them in the collection boxes here and at the front desk." Then, Mac goes over the division's recent activity. "We have had a rash of burglaries in The Grove. We've also seen an increase in auto thefts as of late. With the holidays closing in we expect to see more shoplifting as well. Let's all keep sharp." Mac rattles off the unit pairings and ends with Malloy and Reed in Adam-12. "Hit the streets." As the officers stand up and start to file out, Mac calls Malloy and Reed to the desk. "I have a special assignment for you."

"What do you have for us?" Pete asks.

"We have a prisoner transfer from the Santa Monica Sheriff's Department. The prisoner's name is Jason Priest. He's wanted for a double homicide. Be on your guard with him."

"Sure thing, Mac." Pete acknowledges him.

Mac hands a slip of paper to Reed. "This is who you speak to when you get there. I'll see you when you get back."

Jim takes the paper, glances at the information then folds it and tucks it in his top shirt pocket. He picks up his briefcase and the two officers walk out together. After stowing their gear both men climb into Adam-12. Jim does a radio check and informs dispatch of their assignment for a prisoner transport.

A few minutes down the road Pete pulls onto the 110 Freeway. This afternoon the congestion on the road is already heavy in both directions. It's not quite bumper-to-bumper before exiting onto Highway 10 heading west. Pete remains quiet as if lost in thought. Jim breaks the silence with, "So, do you want to come over this weekend for the Rams/Forty-Niner's game?"

After a bit of a pause, Pete says, "That should be a good game." Then after another pause he continues, "You're not asking so you can swindle me into helping cut down that large dead sycamore tree you have out back? You almost crushed me when we took down that big pine this summer."

"No, I'm waiting on that tree till after the holidays. Jean just said we haven't seen you in a while. She would love to have Jenny over too, but didn't know if she liked football."

"I'll have to ask her. I'm sure she'd love to catch up with Jean no matter what. Is it ok if I let you know tomorrow?"

"Sure." So after a few more minutes of slow going, Jim asks, "So, how are things with you and Jenny?"

"Actually, things couldn't be better." Pete grips the steering wheel with both hands. He bites his lip as he contemplates what else to share with him. Jim looks Pete over. He can sense the sudden anxiety coming from his senior partner. Pete appears to be wiping a sweaty palm on his pants before regripping the wheel.

"What's bothering you, Pete?"

Pete glances over at Jim than back at the road before managing to get the next word out. "Well, to be honest, … I think, …" Pete lets out a sigh then continues. "I think I want to marry her."

"Oh, my, God! That's great, Pete!" A huge grin spreads across Jim's face. "I can't believe it. I knew this girl was special, but …" Jim looks at the tension still on Pete's face and asks, "What's

wrong?"

"Nothing really. I'm just trying to figure out when and how to ask her. You only get to do it once, you know."

"Do you have any ideas yet?"

"Yeah, but I kind of want to keep that a secret for now."

"That's fine, Pete. I understand. But, if you want a sounding board, you know I'm here for you."

"I appreciate the offer, Jim."

"So, Pete, after all these years as a bachelor, what is it about this girl?"

"That's a good question. It just feels right. We have been comfortable with each other from the beginning. She's so easy to talk with. She has seen me at my worst, but still respects me. She doesn't seem bothered by me being a cop. I love that she is so outgoing. It doesn't hurt that she's gorgeous either."

"Pete, I'm so happy for you. I think you will find married life much better than you ever expected."

"Hold your horses, Jim. Let's remember she hasn't said yes, yet."

"Have you talked about getting married, Pete?"

"No, not really. I just made the suggestion to share a place. Hey, Jim, please don't mention this to anyone, not even Jean."

"Of course." Jim signals with a finger to his lips. "Mums the word. You know, I had a feeling about Jenny. When you came home from the hospital after Shaw almost killed you, she instantly had a way with you like no other woman I've ever seen."

"True. It was one of the worst times in my life and out of such a horrible experience came one of the best things ever. Jenny is an incredible woman."

"Pete, do you have any plans for the holidays this year? You know you're always welcome at our place. And, of course, we would love to have Jenny there, too."

"Thanks a bunch for the offer, Jim. We haven't worked out the details of the holiday yet. We just started talking about it. I was hoping that we might be creating some of our own traditions this year."

*********

Back at the barn the unseen observer paces back and forth along the isle way. The gray filthy coveralls still hang on his gangly body. The old t-shirt underneath is holey and soiled as well. His hair is oily and his yellow stained teeth are not much better. Bathing is far from his thoughts, but his new plans are pressing forward. An area in the loft has become his hidden hideaway. Behind a wall of hay bales are a bedroll and a few essentials. The shack behind the barn is a resource for him, but not safe for him to use routinely. After losing his job and then his truck to pay off the fines from the negligence case his mind is filled with irrational thoughts. He paces and thinks about his next move. On one hand the only thing important to him is this woman. He has to have her for himself. In his dreams he and Jenny are together and have a happy ever after story. But, one man stands in his way. He is the reason he lost his job. He is the reason that Jenny is not with him. A rage has been building in him for weeks. It's almost time to act. _I need to finish preparing. We'll be together soon, Jenny._ He marches out into the woods with a shovel in hand. He starts digging. Without a soul around, he continues to dig for hours. The result of his work is a large deep hole. With some difficulty he climbs out of the hole then turns to look over his work. "That should do nicely." He heads back to the barn leaving behind what appears to be a grave.

*********

Adam-12 squad pulls into the Sheriff's Department lot to pick up their prisoner. Both officers walk in, and the desk person greets them. Jim speaks up, "We are here to transport a prisoner. Captain Logan should be aware of our assignment."

The officer at the desk says, "Let me get him for you," and makes a quick phone call. "The captain will be right with you." Without delay Captain Logan arrives at the front.

"So, I hear your department would like a customer of ours. He was picked up last night with a DUI. The prisoner is Jason Priest?"

"That would be correct, Sir. He is wanted for a double homicide in our district," Jim adds.

"Well, my boys say he is a handful. I'll have them bring him right up from the holding cell."

"Thank you, Sir." Reed passes off the necessary papers for the transfer.

Pete and Jim take a double take when they see Jason Priest being lead out. The man is six foot five and over two hundred and forty pounds. The scowl on his face says he's not very happy about the upcoming ride. As the two deputies hand over the prisoner, they say, "Good Luck," a bit under their breath.

Jim and Pete glance at each other than peer up at the giant. Pete says, "Let's go, Priest," sounding firm and in charge.

"Drop dead, Pig!" Jason has another idea when he tries to shake away from their grasp. Holding firm to their prisoner they make their way to the squad out front with a bit of a tug of war walk. Just as they open the car door he takes the opportunity to rattle Reed by spitting into his face. Pete quickly shoves Priest into the back seat placing a hand on his head to prevent a collision with the rooftop.

After closing the door, Pete looks at Jim as he wipes the spit off. "Are you ok?" He wants to be sure he's under control.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get on the road. The sooner we get back the better."

Jim climbs in the back seat to keep an eye on Priest as Pete gets behind the wheel. During the next few minutes the prisoner disparages the two officers with vulgar language and there's not much either Jim or Pete can do about it. Jim couldn't be more relieved to see the station as they pulled into the lot. The officers climb out of the squad and together pull out their prisoner and lead him inside. As they check him in Priest makes another effort to thwart the officers. He drops his shoulder and rams Pete into the wall. He drags Jim along still holding onto his arm. Pete's grip is broken as he gets the air knocked out of him and slides down the wall. Jim pulls at Priest's arm then kicks at his feet to take the prisoner down on the floor face first. The processing officer jumps in to help restrain the huge man. Another two officers come to their aide to move the man into a nearby holding cell leaving the cuffs in place for everyone's safety.

Jim looks at Pete, "Are you ok?"

"Yes, he just knocked the wind out of me. Let's get out patrolling. It's got to be safer out on the streets with this guy in here."

As they are heading down the hall for the lot, Mac spots them. "Hey, Pete, How did the transfer go?"

"He's a real winner that one. Would you mind asking Woods and Brinkman for your next special assignment. One is enough for us."

"That bad, huh?"

Jim says, "Go take a look in the holding cell and you'll see what we mean."

"Ok, fellas. Sorry about that."

Back on the streets, they stop a couple motorists. One is ticketed for rolling through a stop sign. Another is pulled over for speeding and earns a ticket. In both cases the recipients spew profanity at the officers in response to the tickets issued. A short time later both men are feeling the hunger pains and question where they should go.

Jim picks up the mike and says, "_One-Adam-12, requesting a code seven at Duke's Longhorn Café at Fifth Street and Pine."_

Dispatch answers with_, "One-Adam-12, ok seven."_

They feel relieved when it's granted. As the two slide into a booth at Duke's they both feel the tension from the shift so far. Jim shakes his head as he says, "I hope the evening gets better. I'm tired of being yelled at."

"Yeah, what happened to the holiday spirit?"

Just then Angie, Duke's girlfriend, comes over and asks Jim and Pete for their order. "What can I get you tonight?"

"A ranch burger with a side order of chili," Jim states.

"Make that two," Pete adds.

"Coming right up."

During their dinner the topic of the holidays comes up again. "So, Pete, what would you like to do for the holidays?"

"Well, one thing I've been wanting to do is to cut down a live Christmas tree like I use to do with my family as a kid. I heard you can get a permit to cut one down in the State Parks."

"Where would you put the tree up her place or yours?" Jim wonders.

"I'm guessing her place. We maybe able to get it pretty close to her cabin."

"That sounds like a great idea." Jim takes a large bite of his burger before asking, "How much do you know about her family traditions around the holidays?"

"I wish I knew more, but she lost her mother when she was just eighteen and her relationship with her father is estranged."

"Man, she has had it rough. I'm sure, Pete, that this could be her best Christmas ever with what you're thinking about doing." He wipes his mouth with a napkin as the burger juice drips down his chin.

"Yeah, I really hope so."

Duke comes up to the table as the two officers finish their meals. "So, Malloy and Reed, how were your dinners?"

"As good as always. Thanks, Duke." Pete says as he leans back from the table with a clean plate before him. He pulls out his wallet and places some cash down on the edge of the table.

Jim tosses his napkin on the tabletop and says, "That was great. How about some dessert?"

"We should get going, Partner."

"Ok. Ok," Reed says as he starts to get up and put down his money for the tab, too.

With Pete and Jim walking out the front door, Duke states, "Maybe next time. The apple crisp is to die for."

Both officers wave and acknowledge the suggestion. "Sure thing."

Back in the car, Jim clears them.

The radio perks to life. "_One Adam-12, respond to TA with an injured pedestrian at 4700 Crystal Springs Drive, code three."_

"_One Adam-12, roger," _Jim answers.

Pete flicks on the lights and siren as he speeds up. They quickly pull up on the chaotic scene. He parks the squad to block the street. As he turns off the siren both officers can hear a woman screaming. A blue and black Dodge Charger is bumped up partway on the curb. The body of what appears to be a child is on the ground just a few feet in front of the car. The crying woman is draped over the child. A small crowd of onlookers are milling about after leaving a nearby festival. Pete looks to Jim and says, "Check with dispatch to be sure an ambulance is en-route."

He bails out of the car to check the condition of the victim. Jim confirms the ambulance is coming then joins Pete. It takes a minute for Pete to console the mother enough to get her to move away so he can assess the child. Jim steps in to help with the distraught parent while Pete stoops over the child. The young boy about five years old is unconscious and not moving. Pete feels for a pulse and finds one then leaning over his mouth listens for any breaths. The boy has blood trickling from his right ear, but no other obvious injuries. "Jim, grab the blanket in the trunk!" A bystander comes up to try to comfort the woman when Jim leaves to get the blanket. After retrieving the blanket and covering the child, Jim looks around for the driver of the car.

A short time later the ambulance arrives and loads the still breathing child for the trip to Central Receiving. The attendants help the mother into the ambulance to ride along with her child. With the mother gone, Pete and Jim focus on the driver of the car and talking with witnesses at the scene. The officers learn the driver is a nineteen year old. The kid is shell shocked from the ordeal. As Jim questions him, the kid begins to cry. Another squad, X-ray 45, arrives at the accident and helps out by taking the teenage driver to the station. Collecting statements lasts for over an hour. After having the Charger towed, Pete and Jim can finally head to the hospital to take the mother's statement and to check on the status of the child. Sadly, the officers learn the boy died from severe head trauma. The remainder of the shift is tied up with filing reports at the station.

Both Reed and Malloy are sullen from the events of the night. Pete looks at Jim and says, "Go home and give Jimmy a hug for me."

"I will, Pete. Times like this make you want to appreciate every moment we have with our loved ones."

"I'll call you tomorrow about the game."

********

Back at the cabin Jenny decides to wait up for Pete. It's pitch dark outside except for the glow from a few lights inside the cabin. She turns on the TV and flips through the channels till she finds an old western movie just starting. The movie is "Rio Bravo" starring John Wayne and Dean Martin. Being a big fan of the Duke she says, "This is just perfect." She goes to the bedroom to change into some comfy clothes. Then she heads to the kitchen and pulls out a jar of popcorn kernels, some oil, and a pan. She cooks up a batch of popcorn then melts a little butter to drizzle over it. With a final dash of salt she carries over the large bowl to the couch, and after throwing another log on the fire she settles in for the movie. Sadie lies down beside the couch, putting her head down for a nap. A short time later she lifts her head and perks her ears up. She goes to the front door and lets out a low bark. Jenny's first response is, "Lie down, Sadie, you were just out," and goes back to nibbling her popcorn. Sadie doesn't seem to accept that. She continues to stand at the door and lets out another low bark or almost a growl. Acting a bit impatient Jenny gets up and opens the door to let her out. "Ok, ok. Go out." Sadie darts out the door. As Jenny sits back down she can hear her barking, but then quickly stops. The movie draws Jenny back in with the Duke preparing for a fight. His drunken deputy, Dean Martin's character is shaping up for the expected confrontation. Jenny's eyelids begin to get heavy, but they pop open, as the scene gets exciting. Jenny hadn't noticed Sadie barking to come back in. "What is that dog doing?" She goes to the door and doesn't see her there waiting to come in. So, she steps out on the porch to call her. Just as Jenny starts to yell, "Sadie, come here girl …"

Someone grabs her from behind.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A hand smothers her mouth, so her fearful cry isn't heard. Her heart is pounding so hard that she can hear what sounds like a drum beating in her head. She tries to twist away from her attacker, but the pressure of the man's arm around her chest and the hand over her face only tightens. When she finally submits to him she hears a whisper in her ear, "Jenny, it's ok. It's me, Dewayne."

She pulls away, and he releases her. She turns around to face him then tries to catch her breath with a couple deep ones. Her eyes are wide open in shock. "What are you doing here, Dewayne!"

"I've come to get you."

"What do you mean?" Jenny says, feeling shocked and confused.

He softens his voice. "You and me, we're going to run away together." He steps closer to her, almost backing her into the door.

Jenny raises her hands to guard herself from him. His appearance and smell is revolting to her. "What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere with you," Jenny states with confidence.

Dewayne takes on a different tone, one sounding a bit more deranged and forceful. "Oh, yes you are!"

Jenny shakes her head and says, "No," as she takes a step back then comes in contact with the wood cabin. Dewayne grabs both her upper arms and pins her up against the screen door and cabin wall.

With his rotten mouth only a couple inches from her face, he says, "We're going, Darling, and there is no negotiations. Let's go inside and get your things."

Jenny desperately looks around into the darkness for Sadie. Quietly, hoping the dog would come out of the blackness growling and biting at Dewayne.

"What are you looking for, Jenny?"

Hesitantly, she answers, "My dog."

"Well, she won't be coming. I gave her a treat that had some extra special stuff inside."

Alarmed by his words, Jenny in a frightened tone says, "You didn't poison her did you?"

"No, I just gave her some sleeping pills. She'll be fine after she sleeps it off." Dewayne opens the screen door and shoos Jenny inside.

Jenny backs into the cabin not trusting to take her eyes off of Dewayne for a minute.

She considers taking a stand against Dewayne not seeing a weapon or anything on him. _Maybe I should just stall for a while. Pete should already be off work and heading here by now. _Dewayne disrupts her thoughts by half yelling, "Come on, Girl. Let's get your things and go." He directs her toward the bedroom.

Feeling defiant she sits down on the bed with her arms crossed and refuses to do anything.

Dewayne looks a bit frustrated at first like a weary dog. Then his mood swings radically and the next thing she knows a knife is pointed at her throat. "I'm serious, Jenny, get a few things ready now!" Then he eases away and he goes on to say, "If you don't want to listen, I'm not afraid to stick around to kill your boyfriend!"

Jenny is startled to hear him say boyfriend. "What are you talking about? I'm not …"

Dewayne interrupts, "I've seen ya. Don't deny it. You've even been screwing around at the barn!" He is seething as he finishes stating the obvious while waving the knife around recklessly.

Jenny realizes that Dewayne must have been at the barn today observing her and Pete. "Oh, my, God!" She gasps then covers her mouth with her hand trying to prevent herself from throwing up with the thought of him watching them. Her other arm wraps protectively over her stomach like a person guarding off cramps.

Dewayne pulls open her dresser drawers and starts tossing on the bed pieces of her clothes. Then a small framed picture of Pete and Jenny locked arm and arm sitting on the dresser catches his eye. He picks up the picture. "Here's the jerk that got between us! If it wasn't for him we would already be together." After his outburst he throws it against the wall shattering the glass and breaking the frame.

Dewayne then flings open her closet door. He quickly spots a small duffle bag inside then grabs it and tosses it onto the bed. "Fill it and let's go!" His patience is starting to run thin.

Jenny is becoming more afraid of what might happen to Pete if he walks in on Dewayne. She can see the sudden outbursts of anger from him and worries for Pete's safety. She finally complies and stuffs the bag with her things. "Ok. Ok. Now what?"

"Take the bag," he demands. "We are taking your Jeep to the stable. I need to get some of my own stuff." He roughly grabs her arm and half leads her out to the living room. "Where are your keys?" But, before she can even answer, he sees them hanging by the door on a hook and snatches them up.

As Dewayne half drags her toward the Jeep, Jenny asks, "Where is your truck?"

In a gruff tone, he answers, "I had to sell it to pay off my fines. Now, get in!" He shoves her into the passenger seat from the driver's side as he slides in right after her. "Don't worry, Jenny, we don't need more than one car anyway. You'll see."

Jenny can't get over the delusional world that Dewayne is living in. As he drives to the stable, her mind is racing as to how she can escape him.

**

A short time later, Pete's headlights flash across the lit up cabin as he pulls in close to the porch. He turns off his car and glances out both side windows seeing nothing parked just in front of the cabin. He's tired, and it takes a moment for him to realize that Jenny's Jeep is gone. Flashing through his mind, _where would she be at this late hour? _Pete quickly goes into cop mode. He scans the area outside, but can't discern much in the darkness. He decides to go in and see if she left him a note. He cautiously opens the screen door and the tight springs let out a loud squeak. _I wonder where Sadie is. She would be barking by now normally._ He continues to ponder. _Maybe Jenny took her with her. _Entering slowly through the unlocked front door, Pete goes in and sees the television on and a half eaten bowl of popcorn sitting on the couch. "Jenny!' He calls out. He looks around the kitchen by the phone hoping to find a note explaining where she is, but finds nothing. At this point, Pete's concern is growing. Pete pulls out his off-duty weapon. He calls out to her again, "Jenny?" He walks toward the bedroom and glances in the bathroom first before entering the bedroom. He quickly notices some drawers still open. Then he sees the glass remnants scattered across the floor. He squats down to pick up the frame then flips over the photo of him and Jenny. In a whisper to himself, he says, "What happened here, Jenny?" Pete swallows a huge lump in his throat. "Where are you?"

Pete hurries to the phone in the kitchen and pulls up the hand piece. He hesitates for a moment, as he thinks about the late hour, then goes ahead and dials an all to familiar number. After the second ring a slightly groggy voice answers, "Hello?"

"Hi, Jim. It's Pete. I'm sorry for waking you."

Jim quickly recognizing Pete's worried tone dismisses the interruption of his sleep. "What's wrong, Pete?"

"I think something might have happened to Jenny."

"What do you mean?"

"I just got to her cabin a few minutes ago and she's missing. Her Jeep is gone. What bothers me is how the place was left. The television is on, some bedroom drawers are open, and I found a broken picture on the floor. It just doesn't feel right."

"Pete, is there any place or person she would want to see at this hour?"

"Not that I can think of?"

"Pete, why don't you call the station with an ATL (attempt to locate) on her Jeep. I'll get dressed and drive up there to meet you."

"Ok, Jim. I think I'll drive over to the barn. Maybe something happened with one of the horses."

"That makes a lot of sense, Pete. If you're not at the cabin, then I'll meet you at the stable."

"Thanks, Jim. I really appreciate the backup."

"Hey, that's what partners are for. Be careful, Pete."

Pete and Jim hang up their respective phones and Pete then dials the station. Jim rolls out of bed and he looks back when he hears Jean whisper, "Where are you going?"

"Something might have happened to Jenny. I'm heading over to her cabin to meet Pete."

"Is she ok?" She squints as Jim flicks on the bathroom light which is a step away from the bed.

"We don't know, but I'll call you when I do. Try to go back to sleep, Hon."

Pete hangs up the phone after talking with the Watch Commander. He darts back out the front door leaving the lights and television on behind him. As he climbs into his royal blue Mustang, he knows he can't be too far behind her with the fire still raging in the wood-burning stove. He pulls out of her gravel drive in the direction of the Forest stable.

**

Her mind is racing trying to come up with an idea on how to get away from this psychopath. Her moment is about to come when they arrive at the barn. He pulls up just to the left of the main barn door where a floodlight illuminates the edge of the gravel circle drive and the entrance into the barn isle. Just a few feet away nothing can be seen in the shadow of night. As Dewayne pulls up on the emergency brake, Jenny takes a chance and flings open her door to leap out and make a run for it. She only gets one foot out the door when Dewayne reaches over and grabs a handful of her hair and yanks her back. She can't help, but let out a scream from the pain.

He jerks her real close and says, "That wasn't very smart. I guess I can't trust you anymore." Jenny stifles in a muffled cry. "We're going to get out like Siamese twins."

He shoves her out the open door and follows right behind her. "I need you someplace safe for awhile." He pushes her in the direction of the barn ladder to the loft. "Let's go."

"You want me to go up here?" She stands at the bottom of the ladder looking up into the black opening above.

"Move it!" Dewayne pushes her shoulder to get her to start climbing. He follows closely behind giving her no extra space on the ladder. As Jenny clears the ladder she barely steps forward and runs into a wall of baled hay. She feels completely blind other than a small stream of light coming from a notch in the wall. Then a second later Dewayne is beside her and leading her through the maze of hay in the darkness. He shoves her down. "Don't move!" In just a moment the area is lit when Dewayne turns on a lantern. He shuffles through a bag for a moment than turns back to her with ropes in his hands.

"What are you doing with those?"

"Like I said, I can't trust you. You are going to sit tight while I get my things ready." Dewayne starts with tying Jenny's hands together.

"Really, you don't need to do this. I promise I won't go anywhere." She tries to sound convincing to her captor.

"I'm sure you'll change your tune about me soon enough. We will have a long life together, Jenny, you'll see." Dewayne moves onto her feet and begins to bind her ankles together.

"Where are you planning to take me, Dewayne?"

"My uncle has a hunting cabin that he doesn't use anymore. It's only a couple hours north of here. You'll love it there." After finishing with the ropes, Dewayne gets up and starts to gather up his things. He grabs his bedroll and a duffle bag then disappears from the secretive area hidden among the hay. In the meantime, Jenny pulls at the ropes to test them and no luck. She can't budge them in the least. As Jenny sits and waits she can hear the sound of horses. Snorting and a small whinny rises up to her in the loft. The park horses must have wandered up to the outside paddock from the pasture when hearing someone arrive. Anytime a human is around the horses associate them with feeding time. She can hear the crunching and thumping sounds from the animal's feet as they mill about in the yard. A couple minutes later, Dewayne reappears. He grins at her with his yellowed teeth.

"What?" Jenny asks.

"I've got one more thing to do before we can go."

"What is that?" Jenny questions with more concern.

Dewayne pulls out a hanky from his back pocket. "I need you to be quiet." He kneels down in front of Jenny.

She starts to shake her head whispering, "No."

He shoves the gag into her mouth and ties it tightly behind her head. "I gotta make sure your boyfriend doesn't follow us." He leans over and kisses her forehead. "It'll just be you and me soon." Jenny looks on with watery eyes realizing what Dewayne's last statement means. He reaches over to the lantern and dials the kerosene off. The netted light slowly fades to black. Jenny hears Dewayne stand up and move off in the dark. Her body starts to tremble and shake with fear as fresh tears stream down her face.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Pete's sweaty hands slip slightly on the steering wheel as he makes the final turn onto the stable drive. He feels a small wave of relief when he sees Jenny's red Jeep parked just outside the old barn under the floodlight. _Oh, good. Maybe it is just an issue with one of the horses._ As he drives up his headlights flash across the paddock area and he sees the reflection from some horse's eyes there. Pete parks his car alongside Jenny's. Other than the floodlight no other obvious light is on. Pete reaches over to his glove compartment to pull out a flashlight. He pushes down on the button to check if it works, and it does. He climbs out of his car and walks over to her Jeep. He peers into it, but sees nothing so he wanders toward the main barn isle. He feels along the wall by the tack room to find the light switch. When finding it he flips it up, but nothing turns on. He walks around to the paddock and calls out, "Jenny?" He sees the horses walking around restlessly. Trooper comes up to the fence line looking for a treat. "Hi, Buddy. Can you tell me where Jenny is?" Pete strokes his forelock for a second. He then takes a moment to count the animals there. "It looks like you're all here." So he walks back to the center isle to check inside. Looking into the dark void of the inner barn Pete senses trouble and draws his off-duty weapon. With his flashlight raised he carefully and slowing walks in looking into each stall for any sign of Jenny then he opens the tack door and scans the room.

After finding nothing inside, he heads back out front then walks around the parked green horse trailer on his way toward the shack on the property. The flashlight illuminates a small distance in front of him and gives off his exact location in the process. As Pete nears the shack from the shadows behind the back corner of the barn out swings a shovel at the hands of Dewayne. The large metal blade slams into Pete knocking away the flashlight and gun from his hands then crashes into his gut. The blow to his abdomen steals away his air and drops him to his knees. Before Pete can even react, Dewayne pulls the shovel away and spins around and strikes the back of Pete's head with a wicked hit. He crashes down to the ground and lies unconscious in front of Dewayne. Fresh blood trickles down the back of Pete's head and down onto his shirt collar.

Dewayne stands over his victim. "That's more like it. You won't be following Jenny an me anymore." He takes a moment to look around for Pete's gun. He grabs the still lit flashlight from the ground and uses it to locate the weapon. He shoves the gun inside his right coverall pocket. "Time to get rid of you for good." Dewayne takes the shovel and walks back behind the shack and the extra twenty-five yards to the hole he dug earlier. He sticks the shovel blade into the pile of loose dirt and heads back toward the sprawling Pete. When he gets alongside Pete he flips him over on his back. He then reaches under Pete's armpits and grabs on as he partially stands up. He starts to pull backwards toward the final resting place with Pete's legs dragging behind. It is quite an effort for Dewayne to move Pete since he is no small fellow and Dewayne being on the lanky side.

Dewayne pulls the flashlight out of his pocket and shines the beam inside the large dirt crater. He climbs down inside and puts the flashlight on the top edge to give himself a little light. The hole itself is about four and a half to five feet deep with a length of seven feet and a width of four feet. Dewayne grabs a handful of Pete's shirt and jacket in both hands. He yanks with all his might to pull Pete's limp body into the grave. His body starts to drop into the hole with a thud then Dewayne finally releases the handful of fabric and the job is done. Dewayne crawls out and quickly grabs the shovel handle. He jabs the shovel blade into the loose dirt and flings the scoop into the hole on top of Pete. Dewayne starts rambling as he shovels away. "Jenny and me were meant to be. You lose and I win…

In the meantime, Pete is starting to come around. His fingers tingle and wiggle without notice from above. His hearing fades in and out with the ramblings of his attacker being heard. He begins to blink his eyes as the fine dirt particles sprinkle across his face. He slowly tries to move, but stops suddenly with his head throbbing mercilessly. More dirt weighs in on his legs as Dewayne's shovel directs it there first. Fortunately for Pete, deep in the hole, darkness prevails not showing his awakening. Pete leans slightly forward and the dirt begins to fall off. He pauses for a moment as his head clears just a bit. He can see the beam of light above him and hears the shoveling. _It's Dewayne, and he thinks I'm dead and is burying me. _He twists around getting into a better position to act enduring a pulsating pain in his head with every move.

Dewayne is dripping with sweat as he works at moving the dirt. In one quick jerk, Pete grabs Dewayne's legs and pulls him into the hole. The startled Dewayne loses his grip on the shovel handle and it falls to the side of the pit while he completely lands in front of Pete. Still wobbly from the head trauma, Pete takes a swing at Dewayne, but misses and falls to the side. Dewayne desperately reaches into his pocket trying to fish out the gun. Pete gets back up and grabs Dewayne's hand with the gun then bangs it against the dirt wall causing it to fly out of the pit altogether. Dewayne with his free hand grips Pete's throat trying to strangle him, but Pete throws up his hands and breaks free. Pete follows with a right hook and finally connects with Dewayne's left cheek. Dewayne goes down onto his knees. Pete wanting to finish the job throws another hard punch and Dewayne drops flat to the ground. Pete feels for his cuffs on the back of his belt. He kneels down, pulls his arms back, and snaps them in place.

While still down beside Dewayne, Pete in a gruff tone asks, "Where is Jenny?"

The statement, "Go to hell," spews out of Dewayne's mouth.

Pete slowly stands up. He pauses for a second and leans against the dirt wall as a wave of dizziness strikes. _I've got to find Jenny. _Pete then struggles to climb up and out of the hole leaving behind Dewayne. He picks up the flashlight then scans around the area for the gun. He spots it and bends down to pick it, but is suddenly overwhelmed with a violent stomach cramp. He doubles over then wretches as his stomach empties its contents. Beads of perspiration form on his face; Pete brushes his forearm sleeve over his mouth to wipe away the spit. After a couple deep breaths he picks up his gun and holsters it. He then stumbles in the direction of the shack. At the only door to the building he tries the knob once. It's locked. Pete lowers his shoulder, takes a hard and fast step forward, and rams the door. He lets out a grunt with the effort. The flimsy lock gives way and the door springs open. He hits the wall switch and a ceiling light flickers on. Pete shuffles around the building checking every nook and cranny for any sign of Jenny. After finding nothing, Pete picks up the phone and is relieved to hear a dial tone. He calls the station and requests assistance at the scene. Pete comes out of the shack and starts to walk toward the drive when he sees the headlights of a car pulling up. He hears a car door slam and then an all to familiar voice. "Pete!" He doesn't quite have the energy to respond. As he slips around the horse trailer he sees Jim's car parked on the other side of his Mustang with Jim walking toward the paddock.

"Hey, Partner," comes out of Pete's mouth, but the sound causes him to squint in anguish from the continuing headache.

Jim turns and meets Pete in front of his car. He can see that Pete looks shook up. "Are you ok, Pete?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I had a little encounter with my old friend, Dewayne."

Jim interrupts Pete when he sees what looks like blood on his collar. "Pete, your injured."

Pete leans back against the car hood. He reaches up to the back of his head and flinches with the contact. He pulls away his hand with sticky red liquid on it. Trying to make light of it he says, "It's just a cut. And you know how head wounds bleed a lot. I'll be fine."

Jim wants to know what happened, but is more concerned for the health of his friend at this moment. "Pete, we should call for an ambulance and some backup."

Pete's sense of urgency in finding Jenny spurs him back up. "Jim, we need to find Jenny! I think Dewayne brought her here. We had a tussle and he's cuffed in a ditch about twenty yards behind the shack. I've looked, but haven't been able to find her yet. I did just call the station from inside the shack, so more help is on the way."

"Are you sure you're up to it, Pete? You look like you should sit tight and get looked over by a paramedic."

"We're wasting time, Jim."

Jim knows how stubborn his partner can be. "Ok. Ok. Where have you looked?" Jim asks.

Pete grabs the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes as he tries to concentrate for a minute to remember where he's been. Having a concussion might factor into whether Pete can remember everything. "I looked in the stalls of the barn, the tack room, and in the shack out back."

"So, you haven't walked through the pasture, or any woods around the barn?"

"No, I haven't. Let's get going." Pete starts to head toward the paddock and abruptly stops. A thought hits him. "Jim, I didn't check out the loft."

Jim looks at Pete. "How do you get up there?" Pete moves to the ladder near the tack room door. He puts the flashlight in his back pocket and grabs a hold of the first rung. Jim quickly takes a hold of his wrist.

"Wait, Pete. Let me go up instead." Jim can see that Pete isn't quite stable.

"I've got it." Pete mumbles.

Jim pushes in between the ladder and Pete. "Come on, Pete. You're only going to make things worse if you fall."

Reluctantly, Pete backs down. "Ok, but watch out for the holes in the floor. There is a cut through above each stall. Take my light."

Jim quickly climbs up the ladder and disappears into the pitch dark of the loft. He flicks on the beam and starts looking. He seems surrounded by walls of hay, but wanders through any crevices he finds. As he waves around the light scouting the loft, he hears a soft banging sound. Jim comes to what looks like a solid wall of hay, but manages to shove a couple bales to the side and squeezes through. There he finds one frightened young lady all bound up and banging her feet on the floor. Jenny looks up with squinting eyes at the bright light pointed toward her. When Jim redirects it down, she sees a familiar face smiling at her. He sets the light down and swiftly unties the mouth gag. "Jenny, are you hurt?" Jim moves to the bindings on her hands and works at the knots.

With a soft dry voice she says, "I'm alright." She pauses for a moment. With fear for the worst, she asks, "Is Pete ok?"

Jim can see her tear stained cheeks and the intense worry in her eyes. "Jenny, he's ok, but he'll be a lot better when he sees you." With the knots undone on her wrists, he proceeds to her ankles. "I'll have you out of here in one second. Are you ok to stand?"

"Yes, I'm good. Thanks, Jim."

With the ropes removed, he helps her up and they carefully make their way back to the ladder. Jenny starts down slowly with Jim trying to light the rungs with the flashlight. As she steps off the last one she turns and sees Pete standing there anxiously waiting.

The two come together. Jenny hugs Pete with her face snug against his chest. His arms wrap securely around her as if he will never let her go. He pulls back for a second to take a look at her. He lets go for just a moment to gently hold her face in his hands and ask, "Are you ok, Beautiful?"

Her response, "I am now."

Jim climbs down the ladder and stops next to the two embracing.

Pete glances over for a second and says, "Thanks, Partner."

Wanting to give the two a few moments to themselves, Jim says, "I'll go check on Dewayne." As Jim steps out from the barn isle door he sees a couple squad cars pulling into the stable's drive. Reed walks out to greet them. After a small pow-wow, two of them head back with Reed to collect Dewayne. The L-car officer grabs up his radio and calls in a code four.

In the meantime Jenny's finally stops trembling in the firm hold of Pete. He doesn't want to move, but just stands there holding tight to the woman he loves. She opens her eyes and looks up into his face. She can see the relief in his eyes from the ordeal coming to an end, but then she notices in the faint light his bloodied collar. "Pete, you're hurt!"

Talking with a calm voice he says, "It's just a cut. I'll be fine."

Jenny goes into nursemaid mode. "Let's move out into the light and let me take a look at it."

Reluctantly, he walks out to the cars, arm and arm with her. He sits down on his hood. "Now, it may look worse than it really is. Head wounds bleed a lot."

"Don't make up excuses, Pete Malloy." Jenny gingerly evaluates the cut. "Oh, my goodness, Pete! You have a nasty laceration. You're going to need some stitches." It's hard for her to see well with all the blood matted in his hair, but it looks like at least a two-inch wound. "You must have one giant headache."

"You could say that," he agrees.

Officer Jerry Walters strolls up to Pete and Jenny. "So, are you both ok?"

"Hi, Jerry. Yes, we're ok."

"Don't listen to him. He needs to go to the hospital. It would be a miracle if he doesn't have a concussion." Jenny says with a bit of exasperation in her voice.

Jerry continues, "Why don't we take you both to the hospital to get checked out, and I can get your statements there."

"Sure, Jerry…

"Pete, did you see Sadie at the cabin?" She asks in a sudden panic.

"No, I thought she was with you."

"Sadie was outside, and Dewayne says he fed her some sleeping pills. I have to find her."

Pete takes a hold of Jenny's hand. "I'll have Jim stop at the cabin and look around for her. He'll find her. I'm sure she'll be ok." He tries to reassure her.

Just then, Jim and the other officers come walking up the drive with Dewayne in tow. His head is hung low with resignation. They place him in the rear seat of a squad car. Jim hands over the bloody shovel to the one officer and he places it in the trunk of the car. Jim walks back over to Pete, Jenny, and Jerry while the other squad pulls out with Dewayne in back. Looking to Jerry, "They said some detectives would come out in the morning to take pictures." Glancing back to Pete and Jenny, "Maybe we should get you two to the hospital now."

Pete stands up. "Jim, can you do us one more favor?"

"Sure, Pete. What do you need?"

Trying to be careful with his words so not to scare Jenny anymore, "Dewayne possibly fed Sadie some sleeping pills. Can you search around outside the cabin for her?"

Standing beside Jenny, Jim strokes her back a second. "I'll find her. You two get going to the hospital. I'll meet up with you there soon."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Neither Pete nor Jenny are in very good condition to drive so they slide into the rear seat of Jerry Walters L-car. Pete wraps his arms around Jenny as she curls into his chest. Before she knows it, she starts to doze off. Pete relaxes, but his throbbing head still won't allow him to completely relax.

About twenty minutes later, the squad pulls into the brightly lit Emergency bay. Officer Walters turns around and softly announces to his passengers that they have arrived. Jenny looks up with drowsy eyes. Pete and Jenny make their way with Walters into the Emergency entrance. Even in the middle of the night, the place is not completely quiet. They check in at the desk and barely sit down when Nurse McCall approaches. "What brings you back for a visit, Pete?"

"I had a little run in with a shovel tonight."

Getting her first glance of his bloodied mess she says, "Well, it looks like the shovel won." She quickly rolls over a nearby wheelchair. "Your chariot awaits."

"I don't need that, Dix."

"Hospital rules. Now let's go, big boy." Dix notices Jenny quietly holding onto Pete's arm. "You can come in with him to start. Jenny is it?"

"Yes. You remember me?"

"Sure I do. I never forget a face. Now, I can't always remember everyone's name, but I try."

Pete looks up at Dixie and says, "She needs to be look at by the doctor too. She was roughed up tonight." A look of concern spreads over Dixie's face for what these two must have experienced.

"Ok, then." She gets Pete in the wheelchair and Jenny accompanies them into treatment room two. "I'll have Dr. Morton in here in just a minute to check you both out."

Mike Morton comes in a second later, and Dixie stays to assist. Dr. Morton says, "Let's get you up on the table, Officer Malloy."

Holding tightly to Jenny's hand, Pete says, "I want you to check out Jenny first."

Looking at Pete than the doctor, Jenny says, "Really, I'm fine. It's Pete that needs tending."

Morton glances at both patients. "Let's start with you, Officer Malloy. I promise we'll take good care of Jenny, too. So what happened to you?"

"I got hit with a shovel a couple times. Once in the stomach, and the second time, on the back of my head." Pete reluctantly climbs onto the table. As Dr. Morton examines his head wound, Pete can't help but grimace.

"Well, it's hard to see it well, but you definitely need sutures put in, but first I want a full skull series done." Mike flashes a penlight into Pete's eyes checking for good pupil reactions while Dixie gets his blood pressure. "Officer Malloy, were you unconscious at all after being struck?"

"Yes, for maybe a few minutes," Pete says. A worried look washes over Jenny at the thought.

Dr. Morton then questions, "Officer Malloy, have you felt any nausea or dizziness?"

Pete pauses for a second knowing this is upsetting Jenny. "A little, I guess." He rubs over his eyes feeling a bit weary. Then he finally asks, "Doc, can I have something for this headache?"

"Can you be patient for a little while longer? I want to see the x-rays first before we give you anything."

Pete nods his head in response. "Ok."

After checking a few more things on him, Pete is wheeled to radiology for x-rays. "Now young lady, it's your turn. So tell me what happened to you?" Mike taps his hand on the table inviting her up for the exam.

"I'm not sure where to start. Someone I once worked with attacked me at my home. He forced me to go with him. He shoved me around and tied me up."

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, not really. I just feel really shook up."

"Well, let me have a look at you." Mike pulls out his stethoscope and listens to her heart. Dixie takes a blood pressure reading and props a thermometer in her mouth. As he looks her over he notices some mild rope burns on both her wrists and ankles. He asks her to remove her blouse, but allows her to leave on her bra for a quick check. He discovers some contusions on her upper arms, but otherwise she appears to be in pretty good shape considering what happened. "Jenny, I think you're going to be fine. I would like to put some antibiotic cream on the skin irritations. I think a mild sedative would help you to relax and get some needed sleep."

"Thanks, Doctor. How much longer until Pete's back?"

"I'm sure it won't be long now. Do you want me to find you a bed where you can lie down? It may be a while till Officer Malloy is ready to go. He may even need to stay overnight."

"No, thank you. I'll be fine."

Just then, an orderly wheels Pete back into the room. His bloodied jacket and shirt are gone and he's wearing a hospital gown. Dr. Morton says, "Officer Malloy, I would like to get you cleaned up so we can suture that laceration."

Dix in the meantime steps out of the room then quickly returns. "Jenny, Officer Walters would like to speak with you." Jenny looks anxiously at Pete as they position him on the gurney to start cleaning the wound. "He'll be ok. I promise."

Jenny walks out with Dixie to the waiting area where Jerry Walters is. She sits down with him and slowly tells her story of the night's events. Jerry is careful to document everything. After talking with Jenny he takes some time to get a medical report from Nurse McCall. Jenny looks to Dixie to ask, "Can I go back in with Pete?"

"Why don't you wait here until they finish suturing him up." Both Walters and Jenny sit and wait.

Just then, Jenny notices Jim Reed coming down the hospital hallway. She anxiously goes to meet him. "Jim, did you find Sadie?"

Jim reaches up and strokes Jenny's arms to relax her bundle of nerves. "Yes, I found her. She seems to be fine, except for still being really sleepy."

Jenny lets out a big sigh of relief. "Thank you, Jim."

Jim has a grin spread across his face. "Do you want to see her? I have her in my car."

With her eyes open wide Jenny responds, "You have her here? Oh, yes. I would love to."

Jim shows her out to his car then opens the rear door. There Sadie lies all stretched out across the back leather seat. Jenny kneels down and strokes her face as she says her name. Sadie opens her eyes, but doesn't even lift her head. The drugs are still greatly influencing her. "Jim, do you think she will be alright?"

"I think so, Jenny. But it might not be a bad idea to take her to the vet in the morning." As Jim looks at his watch, he realizes the sun will be up in a couple of hours. "If you stay here with Pete, I can take her in this morning. One should be open soon."

"She's been to the Eagle Rock Pet Clinic on Glendale and Eagle Rock. They would know her there." Jenny stands up then turns to hug Jim. "I can't thank you enough for taking care of us. All of us."

She turns back to the car and pets Sadie a couple more times and plants a kiss on her furry head. "You sleep for a little while, Girl." She closes the car door.

As Jenny and Jim walk back into the hospital, he asks, "So how is Pete doing?"

"He keeps saying he's fine, but he told the doctor he was unconscious for a few minutes after being hit. He's also experiencing some dizziness and nausea. They took some x-rays, but didn't review them yet. Right now, the doctor is sewing him up."

"He'll be alright, Jenny. That's the one thing I know for sure. My partner has a hard head." Jim says with a bit of a smirk.

As Jim and Jenny stroll down the hall to the waiting area, they witness another doctor entering the treatment room Pete is in. "I wonder if everything is alright?" Jenny says in a hushed voice.

"Try not to worry, Jenny." Jim and Jenny join Officer Walters in the waiting room. "Hey, Jerry. How much longer are you sticking around?"

"As soon as I get Pete's statement, I'll be heading back to the station. I think Mac is coming on as Watch Commander for Day Watch so he'll want an update on Pete's condition. Jim, are you working on days?"

"Fortunately, no. Pete and I have been on PM Watch this week."

Just then, Dr. Morton comes out to visit with them. "Well, Officer Malloy has his laceration sutured up. I had Dr. Early, a neurologist, review his skull films with me, and we concur that he has a concussion. His symptoms have subsided, but I feel it would be in his best interest for him to stay in the hospital for one day under observation. At this point he is determined to leave, but maybe you can help convince him differently."

Jim speaks up, "You might as well, hogtie him, Doc. Pete's never been one to stay in a hospital unless he's completely out of it." Jim looks over to Jenny. "Maybe, you can get through to him."

Officer Walters excuses himself. "I need to get Pete's statement now." He enters the treatment room alone.

Dr. Morton looks directly at Jenny. "If you can get him to stay here for even a few hours that would be better than nothing at all."

"Of course, doctor. I will talk with him after Officer Walters is finished. When we do leave, what should I be watching for?"

Dr. Morton quickly explains, "You should come back in or call immediately if he has more bouts of dizziness, a prolonged headache, nausea or vomiting, loses his balance, ringing in his ears, or memory loss."

Jim pipes in, "When will he be able to go back to work, Doc?"

"I would like him to do nothing, but rest for a couple days. Then if he doesn't develop any of these symptoms, he could be on desk duty until the stitches come out. Now, I gave him some mild pain relievers, and with the local anesthetic at the laceration repair site, he should be feeling better shortly."

Jenny ponders, "Dr. Morton, I'm having second thoughts. Would it be possible to set me up with a hospital bed now?"

"Jenny, are you not feeling well?" He asks with sudden concern.

"No, I'm fine…"

Jim holds back a small laugh. "Oh, I see how your mind works, Jenny. That just might work."

With his hands on his hips and glancing back and forth at both Jenny and Jim, Mike asks, "What are you two referring to?" The doctor's face holds a quizzical look.

Jim says, "This little lady is trying to outsmart Pete into staying longer. Let's help her get it done. My, you are looking mighty tired, Jenny."

Jenny smiles at Dr. Morton, "I'll take that bed now."

Dr. Morton smiles back and says, "Come with me young lady." He walks with Jenny down to the nurse's station and gives direction to Nurse McCall to set Jenny up in an open double room."

Before Dr. Morton walks back she says, "Be sure any visitors know how to find me."

"Sure thing," he says with a wink.

When he arrives just outside of treatment room two, Officer Walters comes out. Jerry looks at Jim and says, "I'm heading back to the station. Good luck keeping Pete here. He is already demanding his shirt."

Jim responds, "Tell Mac, I'll call him a little later."

"Ok. Thanks, Doc." Officer Walters heads for the Emergency entrance.

Jim and Mike Morton glance at each other before entering the treatment room.

Still clothed in a hospital gown on top, Pete is standing and leaning against the table trying to convince the young nurse to find his shirt and jacket they took from him in x-ray. Pete looks at Dr. Morton and says, "Doc, I'm ready to sign my release papers now."

"That will take a few minutes to get those for you, Officer Malloy."

Pete turns his attention to Jim. "Hey, Partner, did you find Sadie?" The doctor notices Pete squinting from the room's bright lights.

"Yes, I found her. She's still pretty drowsy, but seems to be ok. I was planning on taking her to the vet for Jenny this morning."

Pete rubs his hand across his face showing more signs of fatigue. "Speaking of Jenny, where is she? Did you check her over, Doc?"

Mike swings into action. "Yes, I did look at her. She has some contusions on her upper arms and some minor burns on her wrist and ankles. The stress of the attack was wreaking the most havoc. I gave her a sedative, and she wanted to lie down. She's in room 413 on the fourth floor if you want to see her."

Pete's expression is one of alarm. "Yes, I want to go see her!"

Dr. Morton quickly says, "You need to ride in a wheelchair, Officer Malloy."

"Ok. Ok." The young nurse vanishes for a moment and returns with a chair for the stubborn patient. Jim walks with the nurse as she pushes Pete to the elevator then down the hall to Jenny's room.

Upon entering the room the lights are off except for a dim light above each of the beds. Jim taps the young nurse on the shoulder. "I think we're ok from here. Thanks." The nurse nods her head and leaves.

Pete goes over to the first bed where Jenny lies on her side beneath the light covers. She is facing away from him, but he knows it's her. She has a sweet smell about her plus a few stray pieces of Timothy hay are still caught in her hair. He leans in close and whispers, "Hey there, Beautiful." He strokes through her hair once then she turns her head to look at him. "Are you doing ok, Babe?"

"I am now." She reaches up and catches his hand as it glides down her shapely curve. "Come here, Mister."

Without thinking or even considering Jim standing near the door, Pete climbs in the bed alongside Jenny snuggling up to her backside. She pulls his hand down and holds it tight. He softly kisses the back of her neck then puts his head down on the edge of the pillow with his nose just barely touching her shoulder. Both Jenny and Pete's eyes close as they drift off to sleep. Jim turns and quietly pulls open the door and exits. _The cat is in the bag. Good job, Jenny._

*****

A couple days later, Pete and Jenny are back at her cabin. Pete hasn't been cleared for duty just yet. With the holidays growing near, the two decide today would be a good day to get their Christmas tree. He had checked into getting a park permit to cut down a pine tree earlier. It's a gorgeous day outside, and Sadie joins in the search as well. They spend a good part of the morning walking the forest looking for just the right tree. It can't be too big considering the size of her cabin. They come across a nice six-foot pine tree that they both agree on. Pete takes the saw to the trunk and easily cuts it down. The two manage to carry it a short distance to the Jeep and tie it on the back. In less than an hour, they are back and have the tree up in the living room. They take a short break to eat lunch before starting to decorate the tree.

Pete peeks through Jenny's albums in the back corner of the living room. As he's looking he discovers some of her favorite artists from the Eagles, Simon & Garfunkel, and Queen. He comes across more than one by John Denver. _I can picture her liking him. She is quite the nature lover. _Then he discovers a Christmas album. He takes it upon himself to start up the record player. With White Christmas playing in the background, the two unravel a line of Christmas lights. Pete grabs a chair for Jenny to stand on. She starts at the top placing the lights around the tree while Pete holds onto the excess cord. Finishing with the high areas, Pete moves the chair back. As Jenny continues around the tree with the lights, she notices a small white ribbon tied to a branch. "What's this?" Then she looks a little closer.

"What's what?" Pete asks as he looks on with anticipation.

"This ribbon here …" She pulls at the ribbon, and it releases from the branch. As the ribbon comes away from the tree she finally sees it. A small ring dangles from the ribbon. She grabs a hold of the gold band and turns it up to look at it when she sees a beautiful diamond solitaire glimmering at her. "Oh, my God!" Jenny gasps. Just then, Pete kneels down on one knee beside Jenny and takes hold of her free hand.

"Jenny, I hope you know I love you very much. Will you marry me?"


End file.
